


Things that change, things that stay the same

by korepers



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Mental Health Issues, No Beta, Post-Recall, Self-Esteem Issues, i'm wilfully ignoring the elephant in the room aka reyes, if i had addressed him it would have been way too long, im super sleepy deal with it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 15:07:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19889836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/korepers/pseuds/korepers
Summary: Mccree knows the old Genji perfectly, but the man who presumably looks at him from behind a mask and a visor looks nothing like him. At all.





	Things that change, things that stay the same

**Author's Note:**

> i finished this in like half an hour bear with me

Mccree knows the old Genji perfectly, but the man who  _ presumably  _ looks at him from behind a mask and a visor looks nothing like him. At all.

He knows that Genji is grinning, and he almost sighs in relief, knowing that Genji is still Genji, after all. That he can still recognize his gestures, the way he moves, the way he expresses himself.

To be fair, this newfound happiness looks good on him. Mccree wonders what does he look like to Genji. Not that he has to wonder much, as his lips slowly suck on a cigar, a dark thought on the back of his mind.

“You still haven’t gotten rid of that bad habit of yours.” Genji half chuckles from the doorframe.

“Nah.” Mccree admits, letting him in.

It would be a little strange for the old Genji to just visit him like that. When he did, back in the day, it was just to blow off some steam. Mccree would blush at the thought if he had some kind of common decency. Which he hasn’t.

He offers Genji a seat, as always. And as always, Genji just sits on the floor. Mccree rolls his eyes, like back in the day.

“Some things don’t change, I guess.”

Genji is definitely smiling behind his mask.

“You have.”

Mccree snorts, taking his cigar between his metal fingers, letting his mouth rest, even if just for a couple of seconds.

“Have I? I thought that you were the one with the brand, new life.” he says, and it’s not bitter. It’s just a matter of fact. “I have just gotten a little older, a little smellier.”

Genji decides to drop the issue for now. Smart of him. Mccree doesn’t really feel ready to discuss his mental health at the moment, and how the fall of Overwatch affected him. How it still affects him.

“Do I really look that different?” he asks instead, his slightly robotic voice sounding curious, far from the bitterness it used to have. Still with an edge, but not hostile. A well trained warrior, not a rabid man.

“I didn’t even recognize you at first.” Mccree admits, averting his eyes a little. “New mask, new armor. New toys. I couldn’t even see your eyes this time.”

At that, Genji seems to light up, as if he had forgotten about something. His fingers are on his own face, slowly getting rid of the visor.

What Mccree sees is absolutely breathtaking, to the point that he almost drops the cigar on the ground. Something that poor Winston would absolutely loathe.

Genji used to be stunning, back in the day, before he forcefully joined Overwatch, like himself. Mccree has seen photos of the youngest Shimada brother, the playboy, the one that brought dishonor to his family, before his own brother almost executed him to atone for who knows what.

Mccree doesn’t know Hanzo, not yet, but he wants to have some words with the guy, no matter how much Genji insists that he can still change, that Hanzo still has some good in him. Mccree cares not, he just wants to punch the guy’s smug face as payback for what he did to Genji.

Because Mccree was there when Genji first arrived. Because he knew his darkest side, the one full of rage, of sadness, of revenge. The Genji who still had too much of a yakuza in him, who killed with no hesitation, because killing was all the same.

The version of Genji that is looking at him is nothing like the Genji he used to know. He seems peaceful, his dark eyes looking less artificial, more like the man he used to be, but not at the same time.

Genji used to be beautiful, but Mccree finds him even more handsome now that he is genuinely happy.

“You’re beautiful.” he says without thinking, and Genji’s eyes actually widen in surprise. The scars around them seem to be deeper as he smiles, a fake confidence on them that used to be real before his whole body became injured this badly.

“What…”

Mccree bites on his cigar, his mechanical fingers shaking a little as he holds it.

“You were always beautiful, Genji.” he admits in a low voice. Genji is still shocked, slowly believing him, not used anymore to feeling liked. To feeling handsome.

Mccree wonders how many times Genji has looked in the mirror only to hate the reflection. Only to miss his past self, the one who at least looked happy. The one who knew who he was.

“Are you flirting with me, Jesse?”

He is. They both have been, almost since they met. Genji didn’t trust him back in the day, thinking that he was messing with him, teasing him, making fun of his disgrace. Realising that Mccree truly liked him, wires and scars included, was probably a surprise.

“Yeah.”

All his eloquence, for fucking nothing. Genji chuckles at that, his hand on his own face again, removing the faceplate, letting Mccree see his whole face. The uneven black beard, growing where the scars allow it, his beautiful features leaving Mccree speechless.

“And you think I’m beautiful.”

“Yeah. Even more, now. Happiness looks good on you.”

This time, Mccree can see Genji’s smile, and not just feel it in his posture or his eyes. He wants to kiss the scarred lips, always has. They had sex bad in the day, and there is still a fire between them, but Genji always refused to remove his mask in front of anyone that wasn’t Angela, and only when she needed to remove it for medical reasons.

Genji used to feel ashamed of his face, and Mccree finds himself only wanting to touch it with tender fingers.

“Smooth.”

“What can I say, partner. I’m a natural charmer.”

At that, Genji gets closer to him. Closer than they have been in years. As Mccree embraces him carefully, his lips looking for Genji’s forehead after putting his cigar away on an ashtray, Genji just grabs his poncho, pushing him down, gently.

They are kissing, Mccree realises. Finally. They both taste like shit, of tobacco and lack of air, but it’s good. Better than ever.

“You haven’t even praised my good looks…” Mccree whines, and Genji grins. “Not fair.”

“I never said I was fair.” Genji jokes, kissing him again, a short kiss that makes Mccree’s insides tingle.

“That’s mean.”

When they embrace each other, in a warm hug that both of them needed badly, Mccree murmurs a single, desperate word into Genji’s ear. 

And of course, Genji stays the night.

**Author's Note:**

> i know i have stuff to write. i have been busy. i AM busy. but it's 2 am and i felt like writing. yanno
> 
> i like reviews more than i like kudos!
> 
> My fanfic sideblog (on tumblr) is @prayforfroot  
> My main one is @eskuhotzak


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